Arts & Culture

Friday, April 28. Filipino and part-Filipino residents make up the fastest growing minority in Hawai’i, now nearly 23%of the population. The annual immigration rate from the Philippines at about 4 thousand. These people are a visible part of the local community — a former Governor, Miss America, judges, legislators, entertainers, business executives and many others. One hundred years ago, the first Filipino immigrants came to Hawai’i as plantation laborers, called “sakada”. HPR’s Noe Tanigawa spoke with one of them, 77 year old Angel Ramos. Runs 3:36.

Thursday, April 27. The Hawaiian Music Hall of Fame celebrates the achievements of composers, singers and performers of Hawaiian music in an effort to perpetuate the artform for future generations. This weekend in a gala concert, “Imua Kamehameha”, three new inductees will be added to the roll of honor. HPR’s Noe Tanigawa takes a look at their accomplishments. Runs 4:12.

Tuesday, April 25. In a brief and controversial career that included a stint as Writer in Residence at the Royal Court Theater, English playwright Sarah Kane wrote uncompromisingly edgy theater pieces about love and pain. “Four Forty Eight Psychosis” is seen by some as her last testament, finished just before her suicide in 1999. HPR’s Noe Tanigawa offers this look at Honolulu-based Cruel Theater Company’s production of that play. Runs 3:14.

Friday, April 21. In observance of Earth Day tomorrow, Iona (eye-ohnah) Contemporary Dance Theater is premiering “Electric Blue”, a multi media production on the theme of water. Free beach performances around O’ahu have been the prelude to staging the extravaganza on 10 tons of sand in the Hawai’I Theater. HPR’s Noe Tanigawa dropped by a rehearsal earlier this week. Runs 3:48.

Thursday, April 20. The Republic of Kiribati (kiri-bahss) is a group of 33 coral atolls 25 hundred miles southwest of Hawai’i. The islands straddle both the equator and the international date line, with moderate temperatures and 70-90% humidity. Population is about 105 thousand spread over 21 islands. HPR’s Noe Tanigawa spoke with an artist and poet from Kiribati, here to share his culture with Hawai’i. Teweiariki Teaero was the UHM Center for Pacific Islands Studies Visiting Artist for 2006. His residency was funded by the center’s US Department of Education National Resource Center grant.” Runs 3:35.

Friday, April 14. Since the abolition of apartheid in 1994, South Africa has been living an experiment in social, political and personal change . . . artists also have served as both reflection and catalyst for a society in the throes of revisioning itself. HPR’s Noe Tanigawa offers the voices of Steven Cohen and Samson Mudzunga, currently featured in the Contemporary Museum’s show called “Politics and Poetics in Contemporary South African Art.” Runs 3:47.